Dear Reggie
One year has passed - I can't believe it. You are still in my thoughts daily my sweet little angel. I miss you and wish you were still here for me to kiss and cuddle. Life has not been the same without you.
Love you forever
Thursday, January 6, 2011
One year without my little angel
Dear Reggie
One year has passed - I can't believe it. You are still in my thoughts daily my sweet little angel. I miss you and wish you were still here for me to kiss and cuddle. Life has not been the same without you.
Love you forever
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
More Cute Pics
Just some more cute pics...
7 August 2007 - Sleeping Baby (age 2.5 months)
6 September 2007 - In his new cage & hammock
26 May 2008 - Big Boy snoozing in his cage
10 July 2008 - just hanging around (age 1 yr, 2 months)
29 July 2008 - watching from behind his cage
8 September 2008 - playing around and eating
2 April 2009 - having a drink (age 1 yr, 10.5 months)
29 April 2009 - playing with my friend
29 December 2009 - sleeping on mommy's lap (age 2 yrs, 7 months)
7 August 2007 - Sleeping Baby (age 2.5 months)
6 September 2007 - In his new cage & hammock
26 May 2008 - Big Boy snoozing in his cage
10 July 2008 - just hanging around (age 1 yr, 2 months)
29 July 2008 - watching from behind his cage
8 September 2008 - playing around and eating
2 April 2009 - having a drink (age 1 yr, 10.5 months)
29 April 2009 - playing with my friend
29 December 2009 - sleeping on mommy's lap (age 2 yrs, 7 months)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Reggie - one little rat's health
This post is about the health problems we encountered with Reggie throughout his life and is also a little bit of a lesson in rat health. Rats live to around 2 years, but these days, with good diets, they can live even longer. Reggie lived to 2 years, 7 months. A lot has to do with the breeding too, so unfortunately, even if your rat has a healthy diet, it doesn’t mean they’ll live longer.
Rats can develop many illnesses – and male and female rats can develop different problems. We were very lucky with Reggie in that he was clearly a very healthy boy. He went to the vet five times in his lifetime.
The first time was when he’d hurt himself in a fall when he was about 8 months old – which unfortunately is quite common in these adventurous creatures. Luckily some painkiller/anti-inflammatory sorted him out, but it was still a very traumatic time for all.
The second time was the first time he choked on some of his rat food. Now rats shouldn’t really be able to choke due to the way their throats are constructed, but Reggie did this regularly! After the first time, I knew what to expect, so didn’t panic and go rushing to the Vet in the middle of the night for an emergency call-out! Rats that choke will make a gagging sound and lots of drool will come out of their mouths. The best thing to do is give them some soft food - like bread mixed with milk – to try get the obstruction pushed out the way. Luckily this always worked with Reggie and usually within an hour he would be back to normal and ready for some more food! There can be more serious instances of choking where you need to swing your rat down fast – almost a Heimlich for rats – thankfully I never experienced this!
The third trip to the Vet was when he was 16 months old and he developed a bump on his tail. This was the time when he was also a bit overweight and I learned that a high sugar diet could be causing the weight gain and bump on his tail. As soon as I changed his diet, his tail cleared up and he lost weight and became very energetic again.
The 'big boy' starting his diet
A leaner, more energetic Reggie in April 2009
In June 2009, when Reggie was just over 2 years, he suddenly lost energy. At this age, their bodies have really reached the end of their lifespan and their joints might start hurting, so supplements can help. Sometimes you can start the supplements at 18 months - when rats enter old age.
A picture of Reggie lying on the couch when I suspected he needed some supplements
I had read about a combination of supplements that could help with old age problems and got them together to give to Reggie. The change in him was amazing. He went from wanting to sleep all day to wanting to run and climb. He would run off to the bedroom, climb up onto the bed and wait for me to come find him. He could even find a way up and down the bed. If ever I couldn’t find Reggie, I would dash off to the bedroom, and there he would be – very pleased with himself – sitting on the bed. He had so much energy.
The supplements included the following: flaxseed oil, vitamin B tablets and glucosamine & chondroitin tablets. There are very specific measurements for all these. I would give these all to Reggie with his breakfast - I sprinkled the crushed tablets onto broccoli (yes, raw broccoli for breakfast!) and then covered it all with the oil. Luckily he absolutely loved it.
I also started him on a supplement called Dr Squiggles - which he got once a week - which he absolutely loved and would drink and drink and drink until I had to take it away from him. He also loved to wash his face with Dr Squiggles.
This worked well for 4 months until he was 2.5 years old and then another condition developed – Spinal Degeneration. We noticed that he could no longer use his back legs very well. He struggled to stand up on them and couldn’t climb and jump up as well as he used to. The illness progressed really quickly too. We first noticed it around the end of October 2009. By mid-November, the condition had gotten much worse. He would sometimes fall over when he was eating and sometimes he would drag his legs behind him.
You can see here how his back legs are looking a bit frail - November 2009
So we made a fourth trip to the Vet (a new Vet in Dublin) to see if they could recommend anything. This was a whole 14 months since the last time we needed to go to the vet. Unfortunately most vets aren’t that clued up about rats, but luckily you can find a lot of information on the internet from other rat lovers. I knew that Metacam could be good for this type of condition – it’s given to cats & dogs with joint problems – but you cannot give it to rats if they have any symptom of kidney disease. It can also bring on more problems – it’s a really tricky decision to make. I decided not to use it.
This picture shows how he couldn't use his big feet for much support anymore
Reggie continued to enjoy life though – forever exploring. I started to give him the supplements twice a day. I gave him the same amount, but half in the morning and half in the evening – hoping that if he was experiencing any pain, the regular dosage of supplements would alleviate that regularly. You never know with rats – they are so tough, they’ll just soldier on.
Our little boy - so old, yet so young at the same time - 23 December 2009
On 29 December, we made a fifth trip to the Vet as we had found a lump on Reggie’s side. (This was another vet as we weren’t happy with the previous vet’s knowledge of rats). A lump can be anything from fatty tissue, to a cyst, to a tumour. The vet we saw decided it was only a fatty tissue mass and said that Reggie looked amazing for his age – his shiny coat and eyes. We were very relieved.
Unfortunately, on New Years Eve – just 2 days after the visit to the vet - Reggie’s little body gave in. On New Years day, 2010, he just wasn’t himself - he just wanted to sleep and wasn’t interested in his usual food or water. I researched the internet for hours to find out what the matter could be – from bladder infection to kidney disease to stroke to heart failure. We got some Baytril from the vet – in case it was an infection - but it didn’t make any difference. It is now thought he could’ve been suffering a series of blood clots that led to the hind leg problem and eventually caused heart failure. All things that unfortunately your average vet wouldn’t know.
Reggie still had his appetite and we fed him baby food, yoghurt, mashed banana and watermelon. I also gave him Dr Squiggles to drink every day as he absolutely loved it.
On 5 January, Reggie and I spent some time cuddled up on the sofa – where everything was very peaceful. He got worse that evening and at 2.30am on Wednesday, 6 January, Reggie passed away while I was holding him close to me. I saw the light go out his eyes. My sweet little baby boy was gone.
Rats are amazing creatures – they will change your life forever. They look at you with those intelligent eyes that are filled with love and a spirit of life - even those who hate rats will find their hearts will melt. Reggie would’ve made anyone fall in love with him.
I have learned a lot about rats – a lot from the internet and other rat owners’ experiences. These are things I would say are very important:
- Start your rats on a good diet from the moment you get them to give them the best chance for a long and healthy life. Learn what they can and can’t eat – you’d be surprised what is harmful to rats.
- Find a vet that knows rats and that you trust – right from the minute you get a rat – you never know when you might need to go to the vet.
- Love your rats - their lives are way too short and it is very hard when you have to say goodbye – don’t regret one minute.
Rats can develop many illnesses – and male and female rats can develop different problems. We were very lucky with Reggie in that he was clearly a very healthy boy. He went to the vet five times in his lifetime.
The first time was when he’d hurt himself in a fall when he was about 8 months old – which unfortunately is quite common in these adventurous creatures. Luckily some painkiller/anti-inflammatory sorted him out, but it was still a very traumatic time for all.
The second time was the first time he choked on some of his rat food. Now rats shouldn’t really be able to choke due to the way their throats are constructed, but Reggie did this regularly! After the first time, I knew what to expect, so didn’t panic and go rushing to the Vet in the middle of the night for an emergency call-out! Rats that choke will make a gagging sound and lots of drool will come out of their mouths. The best thing to do is give them some soft food - like bread mixed with milk – to try get the obstruction pushed out the way. Luckily this always worked with Reggie and usually within an hour he would be back to normal and ready for some more food! There can be more serious instances of choking where you need to swing your rat down fast – almost a Heimlich for rats – thankfully I never experienced this!
The third trip to the Vet was when he was 16 months old and he developed a bump on his tail. This was the time when he was also a bit overweight and I learned that a high sugar diet could be causing the weight gain and bump on his tail. As soon as I changed his diet, his tail cleared up and he lost weight and became very energetic again.
The 'big boy' starting his diet
A leaner, more energetic Reggie in April 2009
In June 2009, when Reggie was just over 2 years, he suddenly lost energy. At this age, their bodies have really reached the end of their lifespan and their joints might start hurting, so supplements can help. Sometimes you can start the supplements at 18 months - when rats enter old age.
A picture of Reggie lying on the couch when I suspected he needed some supplements
I had read about a combination of supplements that could help with old age problems and got them together to give to Reggie. The change in him was amazing. He went from wanting to sleep all day to wanting to run and climb. He would run off to the bedroom, climb up onto the bed and wait for me to come find him. He could even find a way up and down the bed. If ever I couldn’t find Reggie, I would dash off to the bedroom, and there he would be – very pleased with himself – sitting on the bed. He had so much energy.
The supplements included the following: flaxseed oil, vitamin B tablets and glucosamine & chondroitin tablets. There are very specific measurements for all these. I would give these all to Reggie with his breakfast - I sprinkled the crushed tablets onto broccoli (yes, raw broccoli for breakfast!) and then covered it all with the oil. Luckily he absolutely loved it.
I also started him on a supplement called Dr Squiggles - which he got once a week - which he absolutely loved and would drink and drink and drink until I had to take it away from him. He also loved to wash his face with Dr Squiggles.
This worked well for 4 months until he was 2.5 years old and then another condition developed – Spinal Degeneration. We noticed that he could no longer use his back legs very well. He struggled to stand up on them and couldn’t climb and jump up as well as he used to. The illness progressed really quickly too. We first noticed it around the end of October 2009. By mid-November, the condition had gotten much worse. He would sometimes fall over when he was eating and sometimes he would drag his legs behind him.
You can see here how his back legs are looking a bit frail - November 2009
So we made a fourth trip to the Vet (a new Vet in Dublin) to see if they could recommend anything. This was a whole 14 months since the last time we needed to go to the vet. Unfortunately most vets aren’t that clued up about rats, but luckily you can find a lot of information on the internet from other rat lovers. I knew that Metacam could be good for this type of condition – it’s given to cats & dogs with joint problems – but you cannot give it to rats if they have any symptom of kidney disease. It can also bring on more problems – it’s a really tricky decision to make. I decided not to use it.
This picture shows how he couldn't use his big feet for much support anymore
Reggie continued to enjoy life though – forever exploring. I started to give him the supplements twice a day. I gave him the same amount, but half in the morning and half in the evening – hoping that if he was experiencing any pain, the regular dosage of supplements would alleviate that regularly. You never know with rats – they are so tough, they’ll just soldier on.
Our little boy - so old, yet so young at the same time - 23 December 2009
On 29 December, we made a fifth trip to the Vet as we had found a lump on Reggie’s side. (This was another vet as we weren’t happy with the previous vet’s knowledge of rats). A lump can be anything from fatty tissue, to a cyst, to a tumour. The vet we saw decided it was only a fatty tissue mass and said that Reggie looked amazing for his age – his shiny coat and eyes. We were very relieved.
Unfortunately, on New Years Eve – just 2 days after the visit to the vet - Reggie’s little body gave in. On New Years day, 2010, he just wasn’t himself - he just wanted to sleep and wasn’t interested in his usual food or water. I researched the internet for hours to find out what the matter could be – from bladder infection to kidney disease to stroke to heart failure. We got some Baytril from the vet – in case it was an infection - but it didn’t make any difference. It is now thought he could’ve been suffering a series of blood clots that led to the hind leg problem and eventually caused heart failure. All things that unfortunately your average vet wouldn’t know.
Reggie still had his appetite and we fed him baby food, yoghurt, mashed banana and watermelon. I also gave him Dr Squiggles to drink every day as he absolutely loved it.
On 5 January, Reggie and I spent some time cuddled up on the sofa – where everything was very peaceful. He got worse that evening and at 2.30am on Wednesday, 6 January, Reggie passed away while I was holding him close to me. I saw the light go out his eyes. My sweet little baby boy was gone.
Rats are amazing creatures – they will change your life forever. They look at you with those intelligent eyes that are filled with love and a spirit of life - even those who hate rats will find their hearts will melt. Reggie would’ve made anyone fall in love with him.
I have learned a lot about rats – a lot from the internet and other rat owners’ experiences. These are things I would say are very important:
- Start your rats on a good diet from the moment you get them to give them the best chance for a long and healthy life. Learn what they can and can’t eat – you’d be surprised what is harmful to rats.
- Find a vet that knows rats and that you trust – right from the minute you get a rat – you never know when you might need to go to the vet.
- Love your rats - their lives are way too short and it is very hard when you have to say goodbye – don’t regret one minute.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Christmas Angel
We had three Christmasses with Reggie.
Unfortunately, we don't have any photos of our first Christmas together, when Reggie was 7 months old, but here are some photos from the following two.
Christmas 2008
This is the year he got his tent. He loved his tent and would often go hide out in it to eat something. We just left it under a chair on the floor, so he could go hang out in it when he was out and about.
Christmas 2009
This year, as we'd recently moved over to Dublin, I didn't have a present for him, so quickly wrapped up some of his favourite treats in some tissue. These are pictures taken from video footage of him running off with it and into his tent.
These were taken later on Christmas morning, as he had actually gotten me up at 5.30am demanding breakfast
Unfortunately, we don't have any photos of our first Christmas together, when Reggie was 7 months old, but here are some photos from the following two.
Christmas 2008
This is the year he got his tent. He loved his tent and would often go hide out in it to eat something. We just left it under a chair on the floor, so he could go hang out in it when he was out and about.
Christmas 2009
This year, as we'd recently moved over to Dublin, I didn't have a present for him, so quickly wrapped up some of his favourite treats in some tissue. These are pictures taken from video footage of him running off with it and into his tent.
These were taken later on Christmas morning, as he had actually gotten me up at 5.30am demanding breakfast
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Birthdays are nice
Reggie was born in May 2007. He celebrated two birthdays in his little lifetime.
First Birthday - May 2008
For his first birthday, when he was still allowed to eat chicken, we gave him a whole chicken leg! Ok, we didn't let him eat the whole thing - that would've been irresponsible - but we let him drag it back to his cage and eat a piece that he managed to pull off it.
Unfortunately we only took video footage of this, so below are some blurry 'action' shots taken from the video.
"Wow, look what I found!"
"Now, should I eat it here or take it back to the safety of my cage?"
"Yup, better get to a safe place where I can eat it all in peace!"
"Nearly there and no one's stopped me yet!"
"Safe in my hammock -but darn, I left most of it outside my hammock!"
Second Birthday - May 2009
For his second birthday, we bought him various treats, one of which was a 'rip - tear tunnel'. He never really went in for these gnawing, ripping treats though - maybe they were too much hard work? But he always gave them a good once-over before discarding them.
"What's that??"
"mmmm... can I eat it?"
"Maybe I'll just pee on it?"
"Oh yeah, the sticky carrot log - my favourite!"
"Got to really get my teeth in there"
First Birthday - May 2008
For his first birthday, when he was still allowed to eat chicken, we gave him a whole chicken leg! Ok, we didn't let him eat the whole thing - that would've been irresponsible - but we let him drag it back to his cage and eat a piece that he managed to pull off it.
Unfortunately we only took video footage of this, so below are some blurry 'action' shots taken from the video.
"Wow, look what I found!"
"Now, should I eat it here or take it back to the safety of my cage?"
"Yup, better get to a safe place where I can eat it all in peace!"
"Nearly there and no one's stopped me yet!"
"Safe in my hammock -but darn, I left most of it outside my hammock!"
Second Birthday - May 2009
For his second birthday, we bought him various treats, one of which was a 'rip - tear tunnel'. He never really went in for these gnawing, ripping treats though - maybe they were too much hard work? But he always gave them a good once-over before discarding them.
"What's that??"
"mmmm... can I eat it?"
"Maybe I'll just pee on it?"
"Oh yeah, the sticky carrot log - my favourite!"
"Got to really get my teeth in there"
Monday, March 22, 2010
A drink and a scratch
Rats drink more water than other little critters. Reggie loved to drink water, but I was always worried that he wasn't drinking enough and so we would give him water off our fingers whenever we had a chance.
If he ever went off his water - if he was feeling unwell - I would give him watermelon or melon, which he couldn't resist.
Having a head scratch
If he ever went off his water - if he was feeling unwell - I would give him watermelon or melon, which he couldn't resist.Having a head scratch
Monday, March 15, 2010
Rats sleep a lot
Rats are nocturnal creatures and will sleep most of the day and play at night. Here are some photos of Reggie snoozing
August 2007 - baby Reggie would pass out in all sorts of positions
August 2007
September 2007 - sometimes sleep would grab him anywhere, and he would just bury his head where he was standing
September 2007 - curled up in his little hammock
July 2008 - in his big hammock - so comfy
January 2009 - 1 year, 8 months - he was so completely asleep in this photo, that he was even twitching away - maybe he was dreaming of eating
September 2009 - 2 years, 4 months - I took this looking down at him, so it's quite a close up.
September 2009 - sleeping in the bed. Sometimes he would join his daddy in the morning for an extra sleep in the bed
December 2009 - daddy just knew where to tickle!
December 2009 - sleeping baby
August 2007 - baby Reggie would pass out in all sorts of positions
August 2007
September 2007 - sometimes sleep would grab him anywhere, and he would just bury his head where he was standing
September 2007 - curled up in his little hammock
July 2008 - in his big hammock - so comfy
January 2009 - 1 year, 8 months - he was so completely asleep in this photo, that he was even twitching away - maybe he was dreaming of eating
September 2009 - 2 years, 4 months - I took this looking down at him, so it's quite a close up.
September 2009 - sleeping in the bed. Sometimes he would join his daddy in the morning for an extra sleep in the bed
December 2009 - daddy just knew where to tickle!
December 2009 - sleeping baby
A naughty boy
Reggie was a really sweet, amazing, loving little boy - but he was also a naughty boy. Here are some photos to show some of the naughtiness he got up and his naughty little face. He was naughty and adventurous right until the end.
September 2007 - 4 months old - messing around with washing that's drying
October 2007 - 5 months old - with the TV remote in sight. He loved to walk over it and pee on it! yucky!
October 2007 - investigating the suitcase - when granny & grandpa visited
June 2008 - 1 year, 1 month - what we going to do now mommy?
August 2008 - inside his crinkle tunnel
August 2008 - just a naughty look
January 2009 - 1 year, 7 months - always getting into places - like over the chair and onto the box
July 2009 2 years, 2 months - an adventurous boy, he would take himself off to the bedroom to look for more adventure
November 2009 - 2 years, 6 months - in Dublin now and here he is chewing up a box of matches
Peek-a-boo
December 2009 - shredding an empty sweetie bag
December 2009 - chewing on an empty mince pie box
Shredding mommy's jeans because she's taking too slow to get dinner ready
Being demanding
Christmas morning 2009 - 2 years, 7 months
September 2007 - 4 months old - messing around with washing that's drying
October 2007 - 5 months old - with the TV remote in sight. He loved to walk over it and pee on it! yucky!
October 2007 - investigating the suitcase - when granny & grandpa visited
June 2008 - 1 year, 1 month - what we going to do now mommy?
August 2008 - inside his crinkle tunnel
August 2008 - just a naughty look
January 2009 - 1 year, 7 months - always getting into places - like over the chair and onto the box
July 2009 2 years, 2 months - an adventurous boy, he would take himself off to the bedroom to look for more adventure
November 2009 - 2 years, 6 months - in Dublin now and here he is chewing up a box of matches
Peek-a-boo
December 2009 - shredding an empty sweetie bag
December 2009 - chewing on an empty mince pie box
Shredding mommy's jeans because she's taking too slow to get dinner ready
Being demanding
Christmas morning 2009 - 2 years, 7 months
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